With surgery 'likely,' Simmons' recovery won't be rushed
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons will likely need surgery for a broken bone in his right foot.
Philadelphia 76ers president Bryan Colangelo on Sunday said no decision had been made and there was no timetable for how long Simmons would be out of action.
Simmons fractured the fifth metatarsal bone during the 76ers’ final training camp scrimmage on Friday.
Simmons’ injury is the latest blow to a franchise that has been beset in recent years by injuries to draft lottery picks and has losing streaks of 26 and 28 games over the last three seasons.
“It’s likely that he’s going to require surgery,” Colangelo said. “That determination has not been made with 100 percent certainty, but it’s likely. That’s my best read on this so far.”
Nerlens Noel missed a season with a torn ACL and Joel Embiid sat out the last two seasons with foot injuries. The Sixers will continue to use a cautious approach with Simmons.
Colangelo said there was “no way” Simmons would be rushed back. He could miss months with this type of injury.
“I feel very badly for Ben to be in a situation to start his career this way. But this is an injury that he should come back from and have a very successful and long career,” Colangelo said.
Simmons, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound Australian forward out of LSU, was scheduled to start for the Sixers in their preseason opener Tuesday against Boston. Simmons was Philadelphia’s first No. 1 pick since they drafted Allen Iverson in 1996.
